Life jacket for aquatic environment

ABSTRACT

The life jacket comprises a harness arranged to be fitted over the torso of an individual and having a dorsal structure, a ventral structure and a belt, ventral buoyancy tubes connected to the harness, and manual inflation means for inflating the ventral buoyancy tubes. The ventral buoyancy tubes are arranged on the ventral structure of the harness, in the uninflated state, folded against the ventral structure of the harness and, in the inflated state, deployed along the ventral structure. The ventral tubes are connected to inflatable connectors extending within the belt. Due to the tubes, in case of difficulty, the head of the swimmer is out of the water and turned upwards. Otherwise, the swimmer is not made uncomfortable.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention of the present application relates to a life jacket for an aquatic environment, be it the sea, a lake, a river and even a swimming pool. More particularly, the jacket of the present application is primarily intended for swimmers and people naturally moving in water, that is, individuals who are in the water, but not by accident or involuntary fall in the water.

The jacket of the invention should be able to compensate for difficulties arising when one is in the water, due, for example, to a physical deficiency, and thus avoid drowning.

Life jackets have been around for a long time. Most are arranged to be slipped on or worn before any difficulty arises, so that for swimmers they can only hinder their progress in the water.

There are automatic life jackets, which are automatically inflated on contact with water. They are also outside the scope of the present application, since in the water they become active and perform their safety function, and the swim of those wearing them is therefore always impeded.

Finally, the problem that the inventor has faced is to be able to provide swimmers with a manually operated life jacket that they can wear while swimming but without preventing them from swimming.

SUMMARY

To this end, the invention relates to a life jacket comprising a harness arranged to be slipped on the torso of an individual and comprising a dorsal structure, a ventral structure and a belt, at least ventral flotation tubes connected to the harness and manually operable inflation means for inflating the ventral flotation tubes, wherein the ventral flotation tubes are arranged on the ventral structure of the harness, in the uninflated state folded against the ventral structure of the harness and in the inflated state deployed along the ventral structure.

The life jacket of the present application, as long as its inflation means are not actuated, cannot interfere with a swimmer moving in the water, since he/she does not have the flotation tubes deployed on the belly. He/she only deploys them on his/her belly in case of difficulty. In this case, the ventral tubes are definitely deployed on the swimmer's belly, so the swimmer's head will be out of the water and facing the sky.

In an interesting embodiment, the ventral structure of the life jacket comprises hinged ventral foldup panels arranged to be folded up and to fold up, against the ventral structure, the ventral flotation tubes in their uninflated state and to be pivoted away from the ventral structure under the action of the inflation of the ventral flotation tubes.

In another advantageous embodiment of the jacket of the invention, the ventral structure comprises ventral pockets for receiving the ventral flotation tubes folded in their uninflated state, the pockets being arranged to open under the action of the inflation of the ventral flotation tubes.

Preferably, the ventral flotation tubes are connected to also inflatable connectors extending into the belt of the harness, from their downstream end to their connecting end, and arranged to, under the action of the inflation means, be inflated and deploy the ventral flotation tubes, past the foldup panels or out of the receiving pockets.

The connectors for the ventral flotation tubes being housed in the belt of the harness is a guarantee of easy manufacture.

It is also interesting that the ventral structure of the harness is in two parts arranged to be joined by a zipper.

Thus, the life jacket of the invention can be slipped on like a jacket. Alternatively, it may be slipped on like a sweater.

It is also preferable that the life jacket of the invention also comprises a dorsal flotation tube arranged to, under the action of the inflation means, be inflated and deployed against the nape of the individual.

Still advantageously, the uninflated dorsal flotation tube and the inflation means are disposed in a pocket of the dorsal structure of the harness, as are the downstream ends of the inflatable connectors.

In the preferred embodiment, there is provided a pull control element to actuate the inflation means.

In the uninflated state of the flotation tubes, the tubes may be folded into their pockets below passage openings which are held sealed so as not to reduce hydrodynamics.

The inflation means of the life jacket of the invention, well known to the person skilled in the art, may comprise a cartridge of gas, generally CO₂, a triggering device, a pull cord for controlling the release device, to release the gas from the cartridge, and means for putting the cartridge and the flotation tubes and their connectors in communication.

In the preferred embodiment of the life jacket of the invention, the ventral and dorsal structures and the belt of the harness, as well as the receiving pockets and the foldup panels—when provided—are made of synthetic rubber or stretch fabric, especially of synthetic fibers derived from polyurethane, or of the material of the protected mark Neoprene.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood using the following description of several embodiments of the life jacket of the invention, with reference to the appended drawing, in which

FIG. 1 is a front view of the ventral structure of the harness of a first embodiment of the life jacket of the invention, at rest.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the ventral structure of FIG. 1 , with the ventral flotation tubes escaped from their ventral foldup panels, at rest.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the dorsal structure of the harness of FIG. 1 , at rest.

FIG. 4 is a view of the left side of the harness of FIG. 1 , with the dorsal and ventral flotation tubes inflated.

FIG. 5 is a view of the harness of FIG. 1 , flat and with the flotation tubes inflated.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the pocket of the dorsal structure of the harness of FIG. 1 at rest.

FIG. 7 is a view of the flotation tubes only, at rest, and the inflation means, flat, of the harness of FIG. 1 and

FIG. 8 is a front view of the ventral structure of the harness of a second embodiment of the life jacket of the invention, at rest.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The first embodiment of the life jacket that will now be described comprises a harness 1, slipped here on the torso 2 of an individual in FIG. 1 , comprising a ventral structure 3 (FIG. 1 ) and a dorsal structure 4 (FIG. 3 ).

The harness comprises, for its positioning on the torso 2, a pair of shoulder straps 28, passed around the neck 5 of the individual, and a belt 6 passed around the belly 7 of the individual.

The shoulder straps 28 are attached to the belt 6 by a clasp or other appropriate means, not represented.

The belt 6 may be in one part, and it is then elastic to be able to adapt to different sizes of individual, or it may be in two parts, which may also be elastic, which can be joined by an adjustment buckle.

With reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 , here two ventral flotation tubes 8, 9 (FIG. 2 ) are disposed on the ventral structure 3.

In the uninflated state (FIG. 1 ), they are folded against this ventral structure 3 and, in the inflated state (FIG. 41 ), they are deployed along the ventral structure. More precisely, the ventral structure 3 comprises here two hinged ventral foldup panels 10, 11 which are folded up against the ventral structure 3 when the ventral tubes 8, 9 are not inflated, to fold down the tubes 8, 9 respectively against the ventral structure 3 in this uninflated state.

When the ventral flotation tubes 8, 9 are inflated, they pivot the panels 10, 11 away from the ventral structure 3.

Each foldup panel 10, 11 comprises an inner edge 12, extending along the centerline of the ventral structure 3, which is here attached to the structure by stitching. The other edges of the periphery 13 of each panel may be held against the ventral structure 3 by snaps 14, the two parts of which are respectively integral with the panel and the ventral structure.

In the rest state of the flotation tubes 8, 9, the foldup panels 10, 11 are pressed against the ventral structure 3 by the snaps 14. Under the action of the inflation of the tubes 8, 9, the snaps 14 pop and the foldup panels 10, 11 pivot about their inner edge 12, letting the flotation tubes 8, 9 escape and inflate.

In FIG. 2 , the panels 10, 11 are represented as rotating after separation of the two parts of the snaps 14.

At the rear of the jacket, on its dorsal structure 4, a pocket 15 for receiving a dorsal inflatable flotation tube 16 and an inflation system 17 are attached for example by stitching, to the shoulder straps 28 and the belt 6. The pocket 15 is closed here by a flap 18 that can allow the passage of the tube 16.

In FIG. 6 , the dorsal flotation tube 16, housed inside the pocket 15, is represented in its rest curled up state.

In the considered embodiment of the life jacket of the invention, the ventral flotation tubes 8, 9 are connected to also inflatable connectors 19, 20, which extend into the belt 6 of the harness, from their downstream end 21, disposed in the dorsal pocket 15, to their connecting end 22.

Under the action of the inflation means, the connectors 19, 20 are inflated and ensure the deployment of the ventral flotation tubes 8, 9.

It will be emphasized that the disposition of the connectors 19, 20 inside the belt 6 of the harness greatly facilitates the construction of the harness.

The inflation system 17, which is perfectly conventional here, comprises a gas cartridge 30, a triggering device 31, with a member for locking the device, and a pull cord 32 for controlling the locking member. The connectors 19, 20 of the ventral flotation tubes 8, 9 and the dorsal tube 16 are connected to a bag 33 into which the neck 34 of the gas cartridge 30 opens. The gas used is usually carbon dioxide CO₂. When the swimmer pulls the pull cord 32, he/she releases the triggering device 31 and the gas from the cartridge 30 escapes therefrom to fill the bag 33, the connectors 19, 20 and the tubes 8, 9, 16.

At rest (FIGS. 1, 3, 6, 7 ), the ventral flotation tubes 8, 9 are, in a folded state, pressed against the ventral structure 3 by the foldup panels 10, 11 and, the dorsal flotation tube 16, also in a folded state, or curled up, inside the bag 15.

Under the action of their swelling by the inflation system 17, the ventral flotation tubes 8, 9 pop the snaps 14 of the foldup panels 10, 11 and pivot those panels to full deployment. The dorsal flotation tube 16 pushes back the flap 18 and exits the pocket 15.

It will be noted that, after having reintroduced the dorsal tube 16 in the folded state inside the pocket 15, by means of the flap 18, which closes the pocket by means obvious to the person skilled in the art, water cannot penetrate therein, which does not hinder the hydrodynamics of the jacket.

The harness of FIG. 8 does not differ fundamentally from that of the preceding figures. Consequently, only the differentiating elements of this second embodiment will be described.

First of all, the jacket of FIG. 1 is slipped on like a sweater. The jacket of FIG. 8 , unlike the first one, is slipped on like a jacket, its ventral structure 53 being in two parts 54, 55 connected, after slipping on, by a zipper 56. It will also be noted that a third embodiment of the jacket of the invention could be contemplated, differing from that of FIG. 1 only in that the ventral structure would also be in two parts to be connected, after being slipped on, by a zipper.

The jacket of FIG. 8 is further distinguished from that of FIG. 1 by the fact that the panels 10, 11 are replaced by ventral pockets 57, 58, symmetrical with respect to the edge elements of the zipper 56, arranged to receive the ventral flotation tubes.

Each of the pockets 57, 58 comprises two parts 59, 60 folded up over each other and held folded up by adhesive strips 61, 62 attached to their edges, which edges are substantially parallel to the zipper in the rest state.

The remainder of the periphery of the pocket parts is here stitched to the ventral structure 53 of the harness, except at the shoulder straps 28 so that the pockets can open.

While in the rest state of the flotation tubes folded inside the pockets, the pockets 57, 58 are closed by means of the adhesive strips and press the tubes against the ventral structure, under the action of the inflation of the tubes, the adhesive strips of the two pocket parts disengage and the pockets open to let the tubes escape therefrom. 

1-10. (canceled)
 11. A life jacket comprising a harness arranged to be slipped on the torso of an individual and comprising a dorsal structure, a ventral structure and a belt, at least ventral flotation tubes connected to the harness and manually operable inflation means for inflating the ventral flotation tubes, wherein the ventral flotation tubes are disposed on the ventral structure of the harness, in the uninflated state, folded against the ventral structure of the harness and, in the inflated state, deployed along the ventral structure.
 12. The life jacket according to claim 11, wherein the ventral structure of the life jacket comprises hinged ventral foldup panels arranged to be folded up and to fold up, against the ventral structure, the ventral flotation tubes in their uninflated state and to be pivoted away from the ventral structure under the action of the inflation of the ventral flotation tubes.
 13. The life jacket according to claim 11, wherein the ventral structure comprises ventral pockets for receiving the folded ventral flotation tubes in their uninflated state, the pockets being arranged to open under the action of the inflation of the ventral flotation tubes.
 14. The life jacket according to claim 11, wherein the ventral flotation tubes are connected to also inflatable connectors extending into the belt of the harness, from their downstream end to their connecting end and arranged to, under the action of the inflation means, be inflated and deploy the ventral flotation tubes.
 15. The life jacket according to claim 11, wherein the ventral structure of the harness is in two parts, arranged to be joined by a zipper.
 16. The life jacket according to claim 11, wherein there is provided a dorsal flotation tube.
 17. The life jacket according to claim 16, wherein the uninflated dorsal flotation tube and the inflation means are disposed in a pocket of the dorsal structure of the harness.
 18. The life jacket according to claim 11, wherein the ventral flotation tubes are connected to also inflatable connectors extending into the belt of the harness, from their downstream end to their connecting end, and arranged to, under the action of the inflation means, be inflated and deploy the ventral flotation tubes and the uninflated dorsal flotation tube, the inflation means and the downstream ends of the inflatable connectors are disposed in a pocket of the dorsal structure of the harness.
 19. The life jacket according to claim 11, wherein there is provided a pull control element to actuate the inflation means.
 20. The life jacket according to claim 14, wherein the inflation means comprise a gas cartridge, a triggering device, a pull cord for controlling the triggering device and means for putting the gas cartridge and the flotation tubes and their connectors in communication. 